Red Keep
The Red Keep is the castle the city of King's Landing was built around, the location of the Iron Throne, and the seat of House Targaryen, the royal house of the Seven Kingdoms. The Red Keep sits high atop Aegon's High Hill, visible to all in and around the capital. Layout Originally made of wood and named the Aegonfort, Aegon the Conqueror ordered the construction of a more permanent seat, and thus the Red Keep was built. Named for it's red stone walls, the Red Keep is a heavily fortified structure. Iron ramparts, crenelations for bowmen, seven large towers and thick curtain walls make it an incredibly difficult fortress to capture. Within the Red Keep's walls there are cobbled squares, ornate gardens, numerous halls and bridges, granaries, dungeons and even a barracks for men of the City Watch. The Great Hall The Great Hall is the throne room of the ruling Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and is the location in which the Iron Throne sits. At the end of the hall, the Iron Throne is raised high in the air atop an iron dias. A large carpet stretches north to south, from the Iron Throne to the great oaken doors, while high and narrow windows adorn the eastern and western walls. The Great Hall can seat 1,000 people if need be, and is said to be cavernous in size. Maegor's Holdfast Beyond the Great Hall lies the heart of the Red Keep, the secondary castle within the larger castle proper. Named for Aegon the Conqueror's son, Maegor the Cruel, the Holdfast has a deep dry moat filled with iron spikes and walls of stone twelve feet thick. Maegor's Holdfast is the location of the royal apartments, the king's own bedchambers being the most prominent of all, itself having twin hearths. The Holdfast contains the Queen's Ballroom, a hall with room for one hundred, with ornate carvings and high arched windows. The Tower of the Hand Adjacent to Maegor's Holdfast, the Tower of the Hand serves as the chambers of the Hand of the King, the chief advisor to the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. The hall attached is small, with high, vaulted ceilings, with room enough to seat two hundred. Beyond the hall is the Hand's private audience chamber, with ornate furniture and decorations, accented by a gold-tinted circular window. White Sword Tower White Sword Tower serves as the living quarters of the Kingsguard, the chief protectors of the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. It is slim, and shorter than some of the other towers, and is built into one of the castle's corners, overlooking Blackwater Bay. The first floor is a large, whitewashed and circular area known as the Round Room, noted for the large weirwood table in the center. This serves as a meeting place for the Kingsguard. The floors above hold the living quarters for the Kingsguard and the apartments of the Lord Commander, while the floor below houses the order's arms and armor. Maidenvault The Maidenvault is a long building with a slate roof, located behind the Royal Sept. Its name stems from the years in which Baelor the Blessed kept his sisters confined within its walls. In more recent years however, the Maidenvault has served as guest chambers for esteemed visitors. Traitor's Walk Traitor's Walk is a short, half-rounded tower that serves as the entrance way into the dungeons of the Red Keep. Above the entrance way are prisons for those deemed worthy of a more comfortable imprisonment. Beneath the entrance way are the dungeons proper. Between these two levels there are rooms for the Lord Confessor - the royal torturer, the King's Justice - the royal executioner, and the Chief Gaelor - the head overseer of the dungeons. The Dungeons The dungeons of the Red Keep are made up of four levels. The upper level houses the common criminals of King's Landing, the level just below houses highborn captives, the level below contains the Black Cells, home to the most vile of prisoners, and the lowest level is used for torture. The Royal Sept Just before the Maidevault, within the Red Keep, lies the Royal Sept. Beyond its walls and high crystal windows, seven alters - one for each aspect of the Seven - dot the building. The Godswood Within the walls of the Red Keep there lies a Godswood, a place of worship for those who still hold to the Old Gods. It covers an acre of land and is predominantly made up of oak, elm and cottonwood trees. At the heart of the woods lies a great heart tree. The Rookery The Red Keep holds a rookery, a location for the maesters of the Citadels to house their many ravens. Below the rookery is the chambers of the Grand Maester himself, the elected head of the Citadel. Secret Passages It is oft rumored that the Red Keep contains numerous hidden passageways, though few - if any - know of their existence. Category:Locations